


Take All That I Am

by godamnarmsrace



Series: My Tumblr Ask Love Reply Fics [14]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron wants his ring back, Break-up Era, Diane acting motherly, M/M, Robert and his money, Robert is leaving the village, Robert tries to give Aaron what he thinks he wants, Somewhat fluffy ending, Two fools in love, otp, robron - Freeform, soft angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 11:53:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11713878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godamnarmsrace/pseuds/godamnarmsrace
Summary: "I understand, pet, but I wish you'd stay close where I can keep an eye on you," she'd said running her fingers his hair."I...can't. Liv will be home soon and it's bad enough Aaron hates me, I couldn't stand it from her too, we were meant to be a family. Her and Aaron, they were meant to be mine," Robert had said, feeling more alone than ever.And now here he was, standing outside in front of Jimmy and Nicola's with Aaron heading for him with what looked like anger on his beautiful face. Robert didn't know what to do, didn't know what he'd done to upset Aaron this time, but it was the first bit of attention Aaron had shown him in weeks. Something other than blinding pain and emptiness swirled around in his belly and it hurt to breathe."What the fuck is this, Robert?" Aaron spat out when he got close enough to fling an envelope at Robert that he hadn't even realised Aaron was holding.Robert bent to pick up the envelope and opened it up. Of course, well, he had been expecting Aaron to be pissed about Robert's little parting gift, but he had not expected Aaron to actually approach him about it.





	Take All That I Am

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Matty [@blueswinseverytime](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewinseverytime/pseuds/Bluewinseverytime) and Edited by the lovely [@smittenwithsugden](http://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/pseuds/smittenwithsugden) thanks Pauline darling. All mistakes are my own.

Robert didn't know what he should do, they'd been avoiding each other for weeks and now Aaron was heading straight for him.

Robert didn't want to give in or give up but it hurt too much seeing Aaron around the village every day. Rebecca clearly wasn't going anywhere and Robert couldn't be responsible for Aaron self-harming again, so he'd rung his real estate agent and asked him to look for a cheap flat in Hotten.

The agent had tried to push him towards something fancier, 'a more secure investment' he'd said, but Robert didn't care what the place looked like and he didn't need a bunch of empty rooms mocking him. He just needed to get away because he was glad that Aaron was happier, he was. That it had happened because Robert was out of his life hurt like hell, but Robert knew he couldn't hang around and watch Aaron move on with someone else. He wanted Aaron to have everything, he'd just clung to the thought that it might one day include him and it was long past time to let that fantasy go.

He'd given Rebecca a hundred thousand pounds for the baby. He'd kept a bit for the purchase of the new flat and some start-up capital for a new business, for when he finally pulled himself together, it might happen one day...maybe in like ten years or something. Robert had done all this and the rest with his solicitor shaking his head over what he called Robert's 'bone headed stupidity.' In the grand scheme of things, he'd been called a hell of a lot worse.

He'd signed all the paperwork and then gone back to Diane's and sobbed with his head buried in her lap like he never ever remembered doing in the past. She was the only one who seemed to notice Robert withdrawing into himself, the only one who knew he was leaving.

"I understand, pet, but I wish you'd stay close where I can keep an eye on you," she'd said running her fingers his hair.

"I...can't. Liv will be home soon and it's bad enough Aaron hates me, I couldn't stand it from her too, we were meant to be a family. Her and Aaron, they were meant to be mine," Robert had said, feeling more alone than ever.

And now here he was, standing outside in front of Jimmy and Nicola's with Aaron heading for him with what looked like anger on his beautiful face. Robert didn't know what to do, didn't know what he'd done to upset Aaron this time, but it was the first bit of attention Aaron had shown him in weeks. Something other than blinding pain and emptiness swirled around in his belly and it hurt to breathe.

"What the fuck is this, Robert?" Aaron spat out when he got close enough to fling an envelope at Robert that he hadn't even realised Aaron was holding.

Robert bent to pick up the envelope and opened it up. Of course, well, he had been expecting Aaron to be pissed about Robert's little parting gift, but he had not expected Aaron to actually approach him about it.

Robert leant over and tucked the envelope and its contents in the pocket of Aaron's hoodie.

"Just think of it as a divorce settlement," Robert said feeling every one of his years.

Aaron just looked at him for a moment and then said: "You what? This is most of your money, Robert! What do you think you're playing at, transferring all this cash into my account?"

Robert felt himself shrug, "I don't need it. I don't want it. I only invested it because I wanted to make sure I could always take care of my fam...of you and Liv. So, use it to pay for Liv’s schooling, keep it or don't, I don’t care but I don't want it anymore. I don't want any of it anymore."

"You think I want it? I never wanted money, Robert. You have to take it back, we...weren't even married, I'm not entitled to a divorce settlement. What did you do with the rest of it?" Aaron argued, an unreadable expression on his face.

Robert shrugged again, not wanting to speak Rebecca's name in Aaron's presence.

"Rebecca?" Aaron asked, sounding resigned to the very fact that she still existed.

"A hundred thousand pounds, the rest is for me to get a flat away from the village," Robert hating that this was what they had come to.

"Robert, there's barely anything left, the only flat you're getting with that is gonna be a teardown or the size of a shoebox. Why are you doing this?" Aaron said with a frown on his face.

Robert wanted to smooth the mark away but he knew his touch would be unwelcome. He lost the right to touch, or to be concerned. "It's what you wanted, isn't it? Me to leave you alone, to let you go? But I can't watch while you move on and build a life without me."

"So, you're just going to leave? When? What about the scrap yard and Home James?" Aaron said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Robert was aware they were gathering a small audience. Cain, Belle, Chrissie and Rebecca were all within shouting distance and Robert really didn't want the whole village knowing his business but sadly he was getting used to it. Belle, bless her, was the only one even trying to pretend not to be listening.

"I've got to find a place yet and you should be getting some paperwork about the scrap yard, I signed my share over to you and, well, Home James, Nicola wants to keep me as part of the company. I will just work from home, where ever that ends up being. I tried to break my partnership with Home James but Nicola told me to stick it, who knew, but apparently she likes my business acumen," Robert let out a sigh. "I'll try and be gone before Liv gets home, okay?"

"Robert, you don't have to leave, and I'm going to have the bank transfer this money back to your account," Aaron said, taking a step closer to Robert and lowering his voice a little.

"You can't, the account has been closed along with the one you used to use to transfer the scrap yard profits. Just take the money, Aaron, you don't want to think of it as a divorce settlement, then think of it as compensation for all the pain and suffering I put you through since we first met," Robert said taking a step away from Aaron keeping him out of arm’s length. The last thing he needed was to try and grab ahold of Aaron and never let go.

"Fine, then I want my ring back Robert, it's mine," Aaron said, folding his arms across his chest, which just made Robert want to hold him even more.

"You gave it back to me, besides technically I purchased both rings, so it's mine," Robert said, not even sure why Aaron would even want the damn thing.

"Robert, if this is a divorce then I want it back. It's my ring," Aaron said, his 'I'm super pissed at you, Robert face' firmly in place.

"No," Robert insisted.

"Why?" Aaron asked, as Robert unconsciously put a hand on his chest.

"Because it makes me feel close to you, there, are you happy?" Robert explained, feeling two inches tall and completely exposed.

"No, you know what, I don't care, I want it back," Aaron said, stepping into Robert's personal space again and advancing until there was barely any space between them. “Hand it over.”

"Fine!" Robert shouted, he didn't mean to but the thought of being without Aaron or his ring, of the ring just being tossed carelessly in a drawer and forgotten about, made things in Robert's chest shift and shatter painfully.

Aaron watched as Robert pulled the necklace he’d been wearing for weeks from around his neck and Robert saw the flush of shock and something else unreadable on Aaron’s face when he realised that Robert had kept his ring so close all this time.

What was he going to do without it? It was his only tangible connection to the only man he’d ever loved, the only real family he’d ever known.

“Oh, and I want your car and the rest of the money too,” Aaron informed him like it was an afterthought and he took back his ring from Robert where he held it out.

 “You what? What do you expect me to do? Where do you expect me to live? Do you want me to be homeless?” Robert asked, totally confused at what Aaron was playing at.

 “No, you can move into the second flat at Mill until we sort all this out,” Aaron said, turning away leaving Robert standing, bewilderment bleeding through every pore.

“Sort out what? I thought we were done? I thought that was what you wanted?” Robert didn’t want to push but this was the most Aaron had spoken to him since he’d told Robert they were done and this didn’t feel done, damn it.

“Sort out all of this,” Aaron said, turning back to face Robert and pointing to his ring that he’d somehow managed to slip on his ring finger without Robert even noticing. “And I was wrong…I’m not sure we’ll ever be over… I'm not done being angry with you yet, Robert, and I'm not done being hurt, but I'm also not done loving you and I will work out a way to live with everything that has happened. I'm not giving up this time.”

“I don't understand what you want from me, Aaron,” Robert didn’t dare to hope, to even begin to assume what Aaron wearing his ring might actually mean for them.

“I just want some time and then maybe till we're eighty wouldn't hurt either,” Aaron replied and gave him a small smile before turning once again and leaving Robert standing alone again, but for the first time in months, he didn’t feel so alone.

Aaron didn’t want his money, he just didn’t want Robert to be able to leave the village. He wanted Robert close. He’d asked for his ring back, demanded it really and Robert didn’t want to be happy yet, too afraid it might all fall apart on him again, but Aaron was wearing his ring and he said he wasn’t giving up.

That had to be worth something, right?

Robert could feel his face trying to smile, he couldn't quite get there yet. There was too much pain and hurt, too much worry and fear, but maybe soon, maybe in some time, he might be able to smile again with Aaron.


End file.
